This application is related to co-pending application Ser. No. 767,442 filed Aug. 20, 1985 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,105 which discloses the preparation of fire retardant flexible polyurethane foams having reduced discoloration and scorch which are based on polyether polyols.
Generally, flexible polyurethane foams are detrimentally affected by a discoloration and scorch during the production thereof. Various antioxidant compositions and methods for the use thereof in inhibiting color and/or scorch tendencies in polyurethane foams are known in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,567,664, 4,007,230, 4,265,783 and 4,444,676 describe various antioxidants and the stabilization of polyurethane foams. When fire retardant compounds are employed in the formulations to prepare flexible polyurethane foams with reduced flammability, discoloration and scorch of the foam are known to increase. As described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,129, a further increase in antioxidants are required to overcome this phenomenon in an attempt to stabilize and reduce the discoloration and scorch to acceptable levels. There is no teaching in the prior art of the effect obtained to stabilize and reduce discoloration and scorch in fire retardant flexible polyurethane foams with the cyclic alkylene carbonate of the instant invention.